


Running (not away from but towards something)

by GoringWriting



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV), Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Attempted Murder, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Dark, Dark Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, F/F, F/M, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, M/M, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Deserves Better, Murder
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:40:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22196434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting
Summary: When her parents die at the hands of Chat Noir Marinette runs. She doesn't plan on ending up in Gotham. Now she must find a way to live on with the help of two of Gotham's rogues. Her new life will be better. She knows it will. But with a chat lurking. Will her life come crashing down?
Relationships: Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Damian Wayne, Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel
Comments: 141
Kudos: 847





	1. Chapter 1

"Hello Purrincess, what brings you out at this time of night?" Marinette hears and she jolts and nearly drops her bag with all her belongings and the miracle box inside.

"Chat? What are you doing up so late? With Hawkmoth defeated I would have thought that you would retire. Like Ladybug has?" Marinette says feeling around for the can of pepper spray Nathanial had given her when she told him about Chat's unwanted and frankly aggressive advances towards her.

"I was hoping that I would run into you," Chat says jumping off the building to land in front of her and Marinette stiffens.

"Oh? You could have come to the Bakery," she says. In fact he had been coming to the bakery but her Papa had sealed up the trapdoor to the roof after Chat had snuck into her room when she was asleep.

"I didn't want to be interupted. Lila Rossi told me something interesting yesterday before she was taken away," Chat says. After Gabriel Agreste had been revealed as Hawkmoth and arrested he had outed Lila as an accomplice. The girl had been deported back to Italy. 

"Chat, she was working with Hawkmoth and Mayura. I don't even think her real name was Lila," Marinette says.

"Maybe, but she did say something that made some sense to me. It explained a lot about why I am so infatuated with you when I love my Lady so dearly. Why you are always late, or vanish during an attack, how you always knew Lila was lying about Ladybug. From this information I came to two conclusions. Either you are Ladybug or you are just a close personal friend. Lila told me it was the former," Chat says.

Marinette tenses up. There is no way Lila knows that. So she must have made a frighteningly lucky guess. 

"I however am willing to bet on the former. There are things that don't add up in fact. You being multimouse. You being so clumsy. And your family being akumatized," Chat says.

"What do you want Chat? It's not secret I know ladybug. I helped Alya get an interview with her and she obviously trusted me with the mouse," Marinette says.

"And I'm starting to wonder what else she trusted you with. Her secret identity? The location of the other miraculous? A way to contact her personally?"

"No. I do the same thing Alya does. I wave her down after she gets rid of an akuma. That's all. I don't have any special knowledge. I lied to Alya. Ladybug came to me because she knew I knew Alya. The interview was a form of damage control. She wanted to control what information the public had about her. So she asked me to set it up. That's it," Marinette says softly.

"Then, since my lady wants nothing to do with me. I will have to settle for you," Chat says coming closer.

"Stay away from me!" Marinette says and she takes off into the night. She hopes she can get out of sight so she can transform. But Chat is too quick. She races towards home and when she steps out onto the street she sees orange flames licking up the inside and outside of the bakery. 

"Mama! Papa!" Marinette cries.

"Oh? Did I forget to mention turning on the oven in the bakery when I was looking for you?" Chat howls and Marinette can see the shocked faces of some of the people around him and Mrs. Chamack pointing her camera at him.

Marinette has to fight not to vomit. She doesn't, she can't believe that her parents are dead. That Chat would have killed them for this crazy obsession of his.

"Stay away!"

"Get back her Princess! If my lady and I cannot be together then we must belong together!" Chat says and Marinette, as much as she wants to see if her parents are alright she knows she can't be caught by Chat. He's close to her now and she reaches out and shoves him just as a claw comes down and swipes across her face.

She screams in pain and takes off again running as fast as she can. She just needs to stay slightly ahead.

Her running takes her to her favorite alley to transform in. But when Tikki comes out of the bag she's holding the horse miraculous. Marinette wastes no time putting it on. Tikki's right she can't transform and have Chat on guard. Marinette and a portal are her best bets.

"Princess? Come out come out. I purromise not to hurt you," Chat says and Marinette shakes a little and steps out into his line of sight.

"I'm sorry Chat...I was just upset. It sounded like I was your second choice. You couldn't have Ladybug so you choose me as a stand in...a rebound. I shouldn't have run...allow me to make it up to you?" Marinette says with a soft embarrassed smile.

"Of course Princess. I can't stay mad at you," Chat says and Marinette walks over to him and slides a hand up his cheek to cup his jaw and leans up to kiss him. Marinette moves her hand to grasp his left one. She waits for Chat to get lost in the kiss.

Once he's distracted she pulls back and pulls off the ring and sprays the can of pepper spray in her right hand into his eyes. 

She watches him detransform and finds Adrien standing there in his place. She doesn't stop go ask questions or think about it. She pulls out of his arms and takes off down the alley way.

Kaalki floats along side her head.

"I don't have time to transform so Voyage!" Marinette says and dives through the portal with no specific place in mind. 

"Marinette! Come back here with my ring!" Adrien howls but Marinette dives through the portal just as it closes. 

She expects to land on solid ground but instead she's in the middle of the air and she lets out a scream as she falls and ands on a couch.

XXX

Oswald Cobblepot prides himself on being a light sleeper. You had to be of you shared a cell or cell block with either Jerome or Jeremiah at any given time.

So when he hears a shriek from their living room he's out of bed just as Ed is waking up.

"Ed wake up someone's here," Oswald says and they make their way out to where Victor was supposed to be sleeping on the couch. Apparently he had fallen asleep with the TV on to some French channel.

Zsasz is standing in the corner of the room his gun drawn. On the couch is a girl who can't be more than fifteen. She's unconscious and has a bleeding claw mark across half her face.

"Where'd she come from?" Oswald asks.

"You're not going to believe this boss. A portal opened up midair and she just dropped out. I barely had enough time to roll off the couch before she landed," Zsasz says. 

Ed is about to say something but a small red creature floats up from inside the girl's jacket.

"Please you must help us. My friend is hurt and in danger!" It says and Ed looks at Zsasz to make sure the assassin is seeing this two. Sinces he's the only one not declared crazy by Arkham.

Oswald is about to say something but the girl begins to shift as she wakes up. Her bright blue eyes open and look up at them and she tenses before trying to scramble away speaking in French so rapid that Oswald is sure Ed wouldn't be able to translate.

"Whoa whoa! Hang on. We're not going to hurt you," Zsasz says. Oswald is pretty sure this is the most he's ever said that wasn't part of his threatening monlogues.

"What he said. We are however interested in...this?" Ed says swinging his arm through the room looking at the red creature. 

The girl opens her mouth to say something but her eyes lock on the TV screen. They all look at it. They each know enough French to translate.

"This is Nadja Chamack," the reporter says they can tell she has some sort of connection to this event because of her tears and sobs making her barely able to get words out, "live from the Dupain-Cheng bakery...It seems that Chat Noir started a fire when the couple's daughter Marinette refused his advances. Unfortunately the couple was asleep when the fire started and neither survived. The location of their daughter is unknown but she was last seen running from the former hero. I only hope that she managed to get away."

The girl doesn't say anything but Oswald knows the look on her face better than anyone. That's the same look when Tabitha killed his mother in front of him. The same look he had when he realized his father was dead.

That's the look of a child mourning their parents.

"I am sorry for your loss Miss Marinette," Oswald says.

"I can never go by that name again... he'll recognize it...where am I?" She asks switching between English and French.

"Gotham... In America...how did you get here from France?" Ed asks is halting French. 

"I...Tikki?" Marinette says looking at the red creature.

"I'm sorry Marinette, I was scared and Master Fu is gone. You were out cold you needed help!" The creature, Tikki says.

"This is not good, I am in America, no family, no friends, and no identity. I don't even have a good grasp of the language!" she says.

"Well you landed in the right place. We'll get a room ready for you," Ed says.

"No! I would not want to impose!" She says.

"No imposition. I know the look on Oswald's face, welcome to the family," Ed says and Oswald pouts but admits this is the same way he felt when he took Martin under his wing.

"Tomorrow we'll discuss options," Oswald says leading her to Martin's old room. The boy had gotten out of Gotham and never looked back.

Oswald misses him but he is glad he got away from Gotham.


	2. Chapter 2

Weeks later Oswald finds himself standing in front of an apartment door. Knocking on it irritably.

The door opens to reveal a woman in torn fishnets, a halter top and denim capris.

"Ivy, it's a flightless bird!" Harley says letting him inside.

"Hey Ozzy, how're Ed and Mari?" She asks sitting on the couch.

"They're good. We just got her enrolled in Gotham Academy. Why is their uniform like that? Why can't Mari wear pants?" Oswald asks.

"The patriarchy," Ivy says petting one of her plants.

"You won't win this one Pengy. Ivy and I waged the same fight and lost. The dress code can't change without the PTA saying anything and if any of us show up to the PTA there'll be a mass freak out.

"Already ahead of you. Zsasz is going undercover as one of her uncles. He'll be in disguise," Oswald says.

"Oh? Let me see!" Harley says and Oswald shows her the picture and she starts cackling.

"That's... that's...he's dressed like Ron Swanson from The Office!" She shrieks.

"We were going for normal and non-threatening," Oswald says.

"How is Mari settling in?" Ivy asks.

"Better. She picked up English faster than we thought she would. Zsasz has been playing mannequin for her. She still won't tell us who Chat Noir really is so we can't get revenge. We've taken to teaching the Kwamis how to make their preferred foods themselves and they finally worked out a school visiting schedule. Tikki will go with her everyday and the others will alternate. Aside from Fluff. He'd be very dangerous in the wrong hands," Oswald says.

"You know it's okay to be nervous right? It's her first day of school tomorrow. You're her family now. You want her to be safe and happy," Harley says.

"Yeah. I'm worried about her classmates and how they'll treat her," Oswald says.

"Has she decided what to do with the scar?" Ivy asks.

"I offered plastic surgery. She refused. Said she wanted to keep it as a reminder that darkness can hide behind sunlight. It was all very poetic. I can't do it justice. I'd better get home. She's making dinner. She'll kill me if I'm late."

"See ya Ozzy. And don't worry. We'll help you with Mari anytime you want," Harley says.

"Thanks," he says and heads home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toss a comment to your writer

Marinette sits in the limo taking a few deep breaths. She can do this, she can. It's just a school, no akuma, no Hawkmoth, no Chat, no Lila, no Chloe. She touched few fingers to her face.

The scratch is a deep jagged thing she's lucky it missed her eye. But it's a sign that she survived. Nothing Gotham Academy can throw at her will top Chat Noir. Nothing.

"You good Kiddo?" Zsasz asks from the driver seat. Ozzy is in the back with her and Ed is in the passenger seat navigating.

"Yeah, fine. Just a little internal pep talk," Mari says.

"Okay, are you sure you want to do this? I can just teach you and you can take your GED," Ed says.

"Thank Uncle Ed, but...I deserve this. I deserve to be a kid again. I gave years to being Ladybug, I think I've earned a few as Marinette...or Marianne call me Ari," Marinette says.

"That's our girl. Ed is going ask Kaalki to take him to China where he'll use your old phone then leave it. That way they'll track it to China not here," Oswald says.

"Thank you so much. I can't believe we didn't think of getting rid of it sooner," Marinette says her hands running through her new black hair. She wanted to erase anything Marinette from her. Lest Adrien find her. She's wearing fake glasses today, designed to change her face enough to trick social media's facial recognition. In case her picture ever gets taken.

"We're here. Good luck in there. Harley is going to have Lucy keep an eye on you. She's a senior so you won't see her often but she promised to back you up if you need it," Ed says.

"Thank Aunt Harley for me," Marinette says and gets out of the car. She readjusts her backpack, Tikki and Trixx nestled in the special pockets inside. 

She takes a few deep breaths and goes in. The school yard is similar to her old one back in France. There are kids scattered around the place. Most of them just talking.

"Hi! You must be Marianne Vanahl, I'm Erika, I'm going to be showing you around before class," a perky blonde says excitedly. Marinette smiles. She would have preferred to use the surname Fu or Wang, but she couldn't risk the connection. If Adrien was looking for her he'd start with variations of the names Fu, Wang, Dupain, Cheng, and probably even versions of her parent's first names. Keeping her new name so close to her old one was already a risk, but they had tried out many different names and this was the only one she could remember to respond to when called.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Erika," Marinette says. Zsasz and her had broken in last night to your the school. Learn the quickest ways to get classes and several escape routes should the need arise. Then they had played hide and seek for part of the night. She already knows this place like the back of her hand, but no one needs to know that but her.

"Sadly, I won't be in any of your classes, but there are plenty of kids in them that will make excellent friends," Erika says and Matinette can tell that she keeps glancing at her scar but trying not to. Oh well. She's not gonna feel embarrassed by it.

The tour is boring and unnecessary. She has more fun in the back room of the Iceberg Lounge people watching. And that's saying something.

Finally the tour is over and she's standing outside her homeroom. There are already a bunch of kids there. Most of them acting like complete buffoons. At least that's familiar. 

She walks in and the class falls silent and she rolls her eyes and stands up straight.

"Wayne you didn't tell us your dad adopted another kid," a redhead with a long nose and too many freckles says and she looks him right in the eye.

"Sorry, that's not one of my siblings. Every blue eyed and black haired child does not belong to my father. Though I can see why you would think that with how much your father sleeps around," a calm cold voice says from the back of the room. She can see much from where she is but she can see black hair.

The redhead seems put off by the insult but then recovers and slings an arm around her shoulders and Marinette has to chant to herself to not kill a man on her first day. 

"Well then welcome to the class, Miss Not a Wayne. I'm Lucas, the only one in this class worth knowing," he says. 

Ah, another Chloé, that she can deal with.

"Excuse me," she says and shrugs his arm off before turning to a girl with lovely blue hair that makes her miss hers. The girl looks up at her and smiles and Marinette asks, "could you tell me where there's an open seat?"

"There's one next to Lucas," her nose scrunches up, "there's one next to Wayne but he'd probably bite you. That's not an exaggeration by the way. He did bite the last person to sit next to him. The last seat is next to Norm..."

"You don't want to sit next to Norman," Lucas interupts and a pale kid in the back roles his eyes, "his father is a villain. You definitely don't want to sit next to him." 

Marinette smiles sweetly at Lucas, but it's full of venom, and keeps eye contact with him as she walks through the rows and sits next to the pale boy.

"Do not presume to know what I want. This is your only warning," Marinette says channeling Zsasz.

"Ohhhh, you are now my friend. I'm claiming you!" The bluenette says pumping her fist.

"Hi," The boy says as Lucas slinks back to his seat.

"Hi, I'm Marianne. You can call me Ari if you want," she says. 

"Norman Fries," nice to meet you," Norman says and their teacher comes into the room.

"Good morning class. We have a new student joining us, Marianne Vanahl. Can you come up here and tell us a little about yourself?"

Mari sighs and goes to the front of the class. 

"Hi everyone. I'm Marianne Vanahl. I'm originally from France, and I like to design clothes...I ah think that's everything," Marinette says.

"What happened to your face?" Someone asks and she has no doubt who it is. Sure enough it's Lucas.

"Miss Vanahl you do not have to answer. Mr. James you one more incident today and you'll have to talk to the Principal," he says.

"Thank you Miss Vanahl. Would anyone like to help her catch up with the class?" He asks.

"I don't mind," Norman says.

"Neither do I," the bluenette says.

"Wayne is the best in the class. Maybe he could do it," Lucas says.

"Why don't you volunteer yourself," Wayne says and the bell rings.

"Give me two minutes class. I just need mark down who's here. I'll call your gym teacher and let him know," the teacher says.

She notices Norman shivering a little even though it's summer.

"You okay?" She asks.

"Yeah...I just get cold easily," he says and Matinette pulls out her sketchbooks. She begins drawing a jacket with warm inlay. She was working on one that could be sewed into her blazer once it starts getting colder.

"You're gonna want to stay clear of Gym today. With both Damian Wayne and Lucas riled up, dodgeball is going to be intense."

"Don't worry, I'm riled up too. They aren't ready for what I am going to do," Mari says and grabs her bag and follows Norman down to the gym. She follows the girls into the locker room and changes into her gym clothes noticing a lot of the girls aren't. Maybe Norman wasn't exaggerating.

She gets out to the gym and before she even has a chance to sit down the teacher is assigning teams. 

Unfortunately she's on a team with Lucas. Luckily Damian is on the other team.

Marinette smiles slightly, a plan forming in her mind.

"Hey Damian, care to make a bet?" Marinette asks.

"No," he says.

"Fine, if you're scared," Marinette says just like Kim would say to Alix.

"What's the wager?" Damian asks.

"Hmmmm, if my team wins then you have to tell me why you bit a kid. What do you want if you win?"

"You to never attempt to talk to me again," he says.

"Fine, spoil sport. Friends are a good thing you know," Marinette says and goes to where her team is stretching.

She smiles at Norman and considers doing a few flips like she does as Ladybug. 

But why spoil the surprise?

The teacher blows the whistle and they get into position. She sets the balls up and Marinette can see everyone preparing to rush for the balls. Marinette prepares to step back and behind people. Let them weed themselves out first.

The whistle blows and sure enough everyone runs for a ball. 

Except her.

She watches people instantly get hit by balls. She watches the bluenette get sent out, along with a few other kids from her class. This gym class seems to be a mix of several clases it seems.

When the initial battle is over she's still standing along with Norman, Damian, and Lucas, along with quite a few other kids.

"Is your plan to stay back and bat your eyes?" Lucas sneers dodging a ball. She makes a motion with her hand, an easy one to understand, and Norman and a girl draw all the fire towards Lucas, resulting in him getting hit five times. Though Damian's is the one to get him out.

"Ready? Things are about to get intense," Mari says and Norman smiles.

"Oh I like you," he says and they both pick up a ball. She can see the only one with eyes on them is Damian.

Perfect.

"Leave Damian for last," she says and they zig zag and cross each other blocking balls and dodging around people. 

Marinette sees one coming out of the corner of her eye and she doesn't stop she just drops to her knees uses her momentum to slide and then is back up on her feet.

She spins out if the way of a shot aimed at her back and sends her own ball shooting off to take out one of the better players from the other side. 

No one even saw her throw.

Norman takes out another player. This one a quiet looking boy who doesn't stop grinning.

Mari spins out of the way of another ball. This one hitting a kid on her team. She runs faster and faster, dodging around people while looking for openings.

She sees Damian take aim at Norman.

"Norman down!" She says and he drops the ball going over his head. She dodges it and throws her own. Damian rolls out of the way. And the ball hits another kid.

"You were not kidding. Jeez, I don't think I've ever gotten this far in a game," Norman says.

"We make a good team," Marinette says and pulls him out of way of a ball. 

The game continues in much the same way until is just three. Her, Norman, and Damian.

All three of them are breathing heavy.

"Five minutes mark!" The teacher says and Mari smirks. The boys may have more stamina, but they're in her territory now.

"Give up?" Damian calls out.

"Never!"

"Good!" Damian says grinning and throws before going for another ball. They both dodge and Marinette goes into a roll and then a leap.

Her vision narrows like when she is using her lucky charm and looks at Norman.

The plan is a bad idea, someone could mention it on social media and Adrien could latch onto it. But, Ladybug never did a move like this. This more of a Chat move. 

She'll lie and say she did gymnastics and her mom combined it with some self defense. It would definitely get kids to know her.

She's gonna do it.

Ed and Ozzy already said that if Chat shows up they're moving to Metropolis. Ozzy will buy a TV station and Ed will host a riddle themed game show. Money or some stupid non-lethal prank. 

While Damian is distracted with dodging she mimes a cradle with her hands and Norman raises an eyebrow and nods. She runs at Norman who stands still as possible. She knows Damian's attention is all on her. 

She reaches Norman her foot goes into the cradle and he lifts and throws her just as a ball crashes into his chest. 

Marinette sucks in a breath and she feels the air whistling through her ears and she throws the ball as hard as she can. 

It his Damian so hard in the chest that he lands on his back and Marinette herself lands in bed back. She's sore but not injured.

"Holy...what the...how? Did you plan that? Shit we beat Wayne," Norman says running a hand through his hair before helping her up.

"Miss Vanahl, that move was reckless and dangerous. As your teacher I ask you don't do it again...as coach of our gymnastics team, tryouts are next Friday," the teacher says before moving to open the locker room. 

She turns and Damian is standing there.

"That was impressive Miss Vanahl..."

"Ari, please."

"Ari, congratulations on winning," he says and she smiles and goes to get changed.

Class continues normally until lunch.

Before she can leave Damian comes up to her.

"You won. So I will tell you why I bit someone."

"If it makes you uncomfortable you don't have to. I'll accept something else," she says and he shakes his head.

"If I was unwilling I wouldn't have agreed, regardless of your manipulation," he says.

"Manipulation? I don't..."

"I have three brothers. I know when I'm being tricked." He says.

"Fine you caught me, I'm listening," she says.

"I was in middle School at the time. I had just been left with my father. The way my mother raised me... it made me somewhat...I guess feral is a good term. I was upset, stressed, and frustrated. I was lashing out a lot. At anyone. Including my family. I'm better now. But in middle school I wasn't. So when Lucas James sat next to me because I was a Wayne and said that my whore of a mother did the right thing abandoning me...I bit him. Word spread. No one knew why I bit him so they spread the rumor that I would bite anyone that would sit next to me. And it stuck even after we started highschool." Damian says.

"Thank you for telling me. What Lucas said was uncalled for and unforgivable. Biting him was an overreaction by a child struggling with emotions and expressing them as he was raised to. It was a tad extreme, but you said that was the past. If there's anything I know it's leaving things in the past," she unconsciously brushes a hand against her scar drawing his eye to it. 

She can see the anger there.

"Is it okay for me to touch you?" She asks and he nods. 

"Good come on, Norman invited me to sit with his friends and you're coming with me," she says.

"And how are you going to explain this?"

"No one knows what the bet was. I'll just say it was that you had to sit with me at lunch," she says dragging him.

"How are you so strong!" Damian exclaims as she drags him through the school and to a table where Norman, the bluenette, and a pale boy with his face buried in a book are sitting.

"Ah, let me guess you had a bet on the dodgeball game?" Norman asks and Marinette nods glad she won't actually have to lie. After Lila she finds it unsettling.

"Welcome to the disaster table," Norman says with a grin.

"Hi, I didn't get a chance to introduce myself earlier! I'm Scylla. The bookworm is Faron," she says.

"Hi," he says going back to his book. 

"He doesn't talk much," Scylla says.

"That's fine. I don't think Damian is much of a talker either," Mari says.

"That's fine. He can listen and if he wants he can add something or not. We don't make Faron talk," she says.

"Thanks," Damian says.

"Okay, but can we talk about Ari in gym? What the hell was that? That's some superhero nonsense," Norman says.

"Well...my mom taught me self defense, a friend of mine does fencing she taught me some stuff, and I took gymnastics when I was younger. So I sorta combined them into a self defense style that worked for me," she says.

"Is France that dangerous?" Scylla asks.

"Before Hawkmoth was caught yeah."

"Who?"

"Hawkmoth. The Mayor didn't want outsiders to know. He was a villain that could use his powers to turn people into supervillains when they felt a strong negative emotion. Don't worry he and his partners were caught," Mari says.

"Oof, that sounds intense," Faron says softly.

"It was but Ladybug caught them."

"Alone?"

"No, she had help. Viperion, Ryuko, Red Raynard, Captain Turtle, Queen Bee, and Chat Noir...but he...he went bad at the end," she says and scratches her scar.

"Bastard. Is he still running around?"

"No, Ladybug dealt with him."

"How did no one know?"

"The Mayor wouldn't let it on the international news, he restricted a girl's blog, and other things," in fact the only reason she saw the news coverage of the fire was because her uncles had it illegally connected. Zsasz wanted to see Paris Fashion week.

"Where's your lunch?" Damian asks suddenly.

"I forgot American schools don't let you leave for lunch so I didn't bring anything. I'll be fine," she says and everyone looks at each other.

"Napkin" Damian nods to Scylla who puts a napkin in front of her. 

"Grapes," Damian says and then also gives her a little of his salad. 

"Fruit snacks," Faron says handing her a package. 

"Chips," Scylla says handing her a bag.

"Pasta," Norman says and puts some in front of her.

"Thanks," she says shyly.

"Hey, you're one of us now. We look after own, you too Way... Damian," Scylla says.

The rest of the class passes quickly and Marinette finds herself waiting in front of school waiting. Faron, Scylla, and Norman already having walked home.

"Do you want a ride? You could call your..."

"Uncles. I live with my Uncles. Thank you but I'm okay. Besides there they are now," Mari says waving and running to the car. Luckily Zsasz had picked a more reasonable car since it's just the two of them.

"Who's the boy?" Zsasz asks.

"Hopefully a friend."

"Do I need to have a chat with him?"

"No!"

"You sure? The shovel's already in the trunk," he asks smirking.

"I'm sure. We just met. Besides I kicked his ass in Dodgeball," she says.

"That's my girl!" Zsasz says.

"Was Ed successful?" 

"Yes he was, he and Kaalki are a combination I never want to see again though."

"If I were to give him a miraculous it wouldn't be that one. Promise."

"Thank God," Zsasz says and they drive away from the school. She looks out the back window and sees Damian getting into a nice car. 

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as the car stops Damian is rushing into the Mansion and down to the batcave where everyone is hanging out. Dick and Jason are sparring. Bruce supervising and Tim is in the computer.

"Move," Damian says knocking him out of his seat.

"Hey!" Tim demands from the floor drain everyone's attention. Damian doesn't notice as he hacks into the school security cameras and fast forwarding to the end of the game.

"Demon Spawn, why are you leering at that girl... holy shit," Jason says.

"Whoa," Tim and Dick agree.

"That is my new classmate. She just met that boy this morning. Yet she was able to pull this off. It's suspicious," Damian says.

"Damian, I think you're reading into a simple gymnastics move."

"No! There's something about her..."

"Maybe you have a..." Jason starts to say but Bruce shakes his head. Letting his youngest son sort his feelings out is the path of least resistance. 

Xxxxxxxxx

Adrien curses tossing the phone into the water beneath the bridge he's sitting on. When her phone activated he thought he had finally caught her. But somehow he missed her.

He won't miss her again.

He wants his property back.

Whatever the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toss a comment to your writer


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants me to create and add them to a tag list for this fic message me in Tumblr at hotforcaptaincold

Marinette sighs and looks up from where she's working on the jacket she designed for Norman. The blue is pretty but she wants to add some thin silver threads into the material to make it shine. But she hadn't picked anything like that up on the way home.

Ed and Oswald left to handle the busy parts time at the Iceberg Lounge and the sun has been down for several hours now. To go outside alone would be a horrible idea.

Unless she's not alone.

"Hey Uncle Zsasz?" Marinette calls down to his room. 

Marinette isn't completely sure what his place is in Ed and Oswald's relationship but it was far more than bodyguard. The man had his own room and shooting range in the basement.

She has no idea why he was asleep on the couch but she's learned not to ask about some of their oddities.

"What's up Kid?" He asks coming in munching on what is probably a stolen muffin.

"I forgot something at the fabric store. I'd go by myself but you know how Ed and Oswald get about me being out at night. So, will you come with me Uncle Zsasz?" she asks knowing that the assassin can't resist her when she calls him uncle. None of them can.

"Did you do your homework?" Zsasz asks.

"Yes," Marinette says. Zsasz puts on his disguise and hands her her jacket and then they head down to the car. 

The drive to the fabric store is uneventful. Marinette can see people walking the streets. Kids dodging in between the adults. A couple of them attempting to grab wallets or purses.

Marinette sighs. It shouldn't be necessary but she's not going to judge them for doing what they need to in order to survive.

They get out of the car and Zsasz leads her down the street and into the fabric store and Marinette buys the silvery blue color she wants and some blacks, greens, and purples. Maybe her uncles would like gifts as well.

They're leaving the store when seven guys surround them and force them into an alley. She can see Zsasz seething. Because when he's pretending to be Victor Vanahl he isn't allowed to carry a gun.

"Give us your money!" One of them says. They only have knives so this should be easy.

Marinette looks at Zsasz who nods and she drops her bags.

"How about no?" She says and grabs the nearest unarmed guy by the lapels and hurls him into the nearest thug. Watching them groan as the knife the second one was holding scratches the guy she threw. 

She looks over and Zsasz is fighting two men at the same time. Using their own attacks against them.

"You good over there kiddo?" He asks smirking.

"Yeah, this is a nice warm up," she says and runs at one of the bigger guys. Dodges under his punch she then leaps up and uses her momentum to wrap her legs around his neck and flip him. He bangs his head against the wall and is out like light.

When she looks over again Zsasz is for finished with his two. And she had taken out three as well.

"You want help with the last two?" Zsasz asks sounding bored.

"No thanks, but you could give me a lift?" She says running at him and does the same move she had done with Norman only this time landing on the shoulders of thug four and flips him over and onto thug five.

"Shit, this chick is tough. Let's get out of here," one of them says and all seven take off running.

"You good kid?"

"Yeah, but I really want to finish this jacket," Marinette says and they head back to the car.

Xxxxxxx

Damien stares down at the alley where Marianne and her uncle had just taken down five different robbers. With nothing but her fists.

She TOSSED a man twicer her size across the alley.

He's not aware but he's making soft noises under his breath until he heads Jason chuckle through his comms.

"What is it with this family and liking girls that can best them up?" Jason asks.

"Listen, Kori is a Queen and she's strong enough to carry me. And she gives strong hugs. I like that. Don't hate just because you can't get anyone," Dick says there are sounds of fighting and Damian is sure that the seven robbers have just been taken care of.

Damian isn't paying much attention but this is enough to snap him out of his shock.

"I do not like Marianne! I find her suspicious. I mean look at what she just did! She threw a fully grown man across the alley! Don't you find that worth warranting an investigation?" Damian exclaims.

"Little D. Come on, she's a small cute girl that alone warrants self defense training. You said she mentioned that France had Supervillains. It makes sense that she would want to be able to protect herself," Jason says.

"I know, and that explains her skill...maybe. It does not explain her ability to easily throw fully grown men," Damian says.

"Alright true, but you've worked with people who aren't supposed to obviously be strong before. You know that you don't need to wear your strength like a sign. As Robins we all looked thin and weak. But I assure you that we could all kick the crap out of guys twice our size," Dick says.

Damian sighs. They're not listening to him. Sure they looked small and weak but they also never had enough strength to throw a man like that. Other ways sure, but not the way she had done it.

There was also a gracefulness in the Uncle's moves that suggested that he has some sort of training as well.

Fine. If his family won't look into it he'll have to do it himself.

Marianne Vanahl is hiding something and Damian's gonna find out what.

Xxxxxxxxx

"Adrien, it's good to see you son," Gabriel Agreste says as the blond boy sits across from him.

"Hello father. I want to know why you did it," Adrien says.

"I wanted to wake you're mother up. There was nothing modern medicine could do. I thought that first day I would be able to draw out the guardian. Capture him and get him to either tell me where the Miraculous were or if there was another way to bring her back. But instead he sent Ladybug and Chat Noir and there was no way I would be able to convince them to help without opening myself to arrest and then your mother would have been doomed."

"Father you hurt people! Your Akumas killed people everytime they were activated. You're lucky the lucky charm reverses them and makes it like the deaths never happened otherwise your sentence would have been much worse."

"Oh Adrien, there is no worse for me. I will be here for life. Your mother will never wake up from her coma because of your beloved heroes. Or should I say hero. News travels fast in here. It seems Chat Noir isn't the hero everyone thought he was," Gabriel says.

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Oh? At least I never attempted to kidnap a girl I claimed to be in love with. I never killed a girl's parents because she turned me down. Chat Noir has," Gabriel sneers.

"No, when you love someone you let them slowly waste away and become ill. Tell me, was Nathalie's death worth it?" Adrien asks and Gabriel rears back as if he had been slapped.

"And as for Chat Noir, he'll be purrfectly feline," Adrien says and leaves ignoring Gabriel yelling after him.

Adrien sighs to himself. Time for a new plan.

Xxxxxx

When Damian gets home he goes straight to Bruce's office and knocks.

"Come in!"

"Good evening father," Damian says and sits in the chair on the other side of the desk.

"Hello Damian. I heard you ran into the girl from school. I'm glad she came out unscathed," Bruce says.

"Father I require assistance," Damian says the words tasting sour on his tongue.

"Damian?" Bruce asks the normally stoic vigilante shocked that his son would ask for help.

"How do I make a friend?" Damian asks and Bruce puts away his work.

Something more important require his attention.

His son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants me to create and add them to a tag list for this fic message me in Tumblr at hotforcaptaincold


	5. Chapter 5

Marinette walks into school the next day and sits in her seat and puts the jacket, wrapped, on Noman's desk. 

She notices Damian come in and look at her before moving to his seat. She bites her lip and mimes that he can move his seat to their desk of he wants and Damian does so.

If Norman is surprised to see Damian sitting there he doesn't say anything. He picks up the package and looks at Marinette who nods and he opens it.

"Omg I love it! It's beautiful!" He says hugging it to his chest. 

"Well go on! Put it on!" Mari says and he slips his arms into it and zips it up.

"Oh my good it's so warm!" Norman says huddling into it.

"Do you like it?" Marinette asks.

"I love it. What are the washing instructions?" Norman asks and she explains how to wash them properly.

"I was wondering if you would like to maybe go get ice cream or something after school," Damian asks them and Mari bites her lip. 

She doesn't know if she should. Her uncles warned her about the dangers of Gotham. She wouldn't be able to be as good at defending herself in front of them but...

"Let me text my uncles and see what he says," Marinette says and pulls out her phone.

M: can I go for ice cream with some friends after class?

UO: which friends are these. Do I know their parents?

UE: are they boys or girls?

UZ: is one of them the boy you were talking to after school yesterday?

M: my friends Norman and Damian. You might know their parents...Victor Fries and Bruce Wayne? Both are boys. Yes, it was Damian I was talking to yesterday

UO: I trust Fries' kid to keep you safe if Wayne is untrustworthy. So yes

UE: I would prefer if there were girls involved but I know Fries' kid won't do anything and would not hesitate to protect a friend. Yes.

UZ: you text me when you're done and wait for me to pick you up?

M: yes 

UZ: fine it's a yes from me

M: thanks guys! <3

"They said I can go," Mari says and class starts so they have to focus on their teacher.

When they get out of class for the day Marinette drops her unnecessary stuff off at her locker and spins the lock shut. Her old school needs to learn a few things. Locks make everything so much safer.

"About time. I'm gonna get fried ice cream or maybe hot fudge, mmmm," Norman says linking his arms with her.

"I will trust you two to pick out a flavor that's not too sweet," Damian says. 

They get there and order their ice creams and sit down in a corner by the window.

"So, Ari. What do you like to do. Besides making amazing clothes by the way," Norman asks.

"I like to listen to music, I used to be class President so that took a lot of my free time." 

"It's good you don't have Mr. Lannister this year. Last year he gave a cumulative exam the day before the SATs. Thank goodness for that freak snow storm," Damian says and Norman looks at anything others than them.

"I don't think it was a freak snowstorm," Mari says.

"Yeah... I kinda asked my dad to build a machine to cause enough snow to cancel class," Norman says running the back of his head.

"You did that?"

"What? Like you wouldn't if your Dad was a supervillain," Norman says.

"That's hysterical. What else do the other rogues do?" Mari asks.

"Dent will kid undergrads out of the law library at GU. Scarecrow has learned to ignore the law students. They live in a constant state if apathy so they really don't get effected by the toxin and when they do all they do is read their texts books in increasing states of distress. It honestly freaked him out. Riddler will help the undergrads shorten time for presentations. Stuff like that," Norman says.

"But never forget that some of them are killers," Damian says darkly.

"I mean so is Batman..."

"Batman has a rule against killing. Everyone knows that!"

"Not when he first started out. He once punched a guy into a vat of acid, why we have that much acid in Gotham I don't know. He once impaled a guy on his own sword. When he started out he carries a gun and killed people. Then slowly he implimented his no killing rule. I'm not saying he hasn't done a lot for this city. Just that killer or not shouldn't be a measure of who a person is in Gotham. What you do outside of killing and who you kill matters more," Norman says. 

"So...Norman, what do you like to do?" Marinette asks.

"I like to spend time with my mother... I'm named after her after all," he says.

"What's she like?" Marinette asks.

"I wouldn't know. Before I was born she was in cryogenic stasis. Then she was a villain names Lazara, and now she's back in cryogenic stasis. I was made in a test tube," Norman says.

"Oh... I'm sorry. My parents...they were the best parents around. They owned a bakery... I'd help them all the time. But...the same day I got my scar... they died in a fire. I won't pretend that we're the same. I had years with my Mama and Papa...but I know that it is very likely that if your mother is able to hear you that she loves you with all her heart," Marinette says.

"For what's it's worth I'm sorry about your parents. Also...one of these days you're telling me the name of the guy who gave you that scar so me and my dad can pay him a visit," Norman says pulling her into a hug.

"HEY!" Norman says when Marinette steals a bite of his ice cream.

"Never trust anyone," she says with a smirk.

"Why couldn't you be a guy. You're literally perfect!" Norman groans.

"Because you wouldn't be able to handle me if I were a boy," Marinette says and the door to the ice cream shop bursts open.

"Oh great Cluemaster got out," Norman says rolling his eyes.

"I mean at least it wasn't Joker," Damian says.

"I don't know why he doesn't just try out for Jeopardy or something. Make everyone's lives a little easier," Damian adds.

"He used to host his own gameshow. Getting fired was what set him off," Norman hisses.

Marinette watches the man that comes in and can feel her blood boiling. A bandana? That's what he's using to cover his face? And what is up with that sucky burnt orange color?" Marinette can feel her head throbbing.

"Oh boy Stephanie is gonna be pissed," She hears Damian mutter.

"Now...which one of you is gonna be my next contestant? Who'll step up to try to win a prize?" He asks in a overly dramatic voice like she's heard on American gameshows.

Zsasz is a fan.

His eyes scan around the shop and stop on their table.

"How about you Scar face! Come on up!"

"No thank you," Marinette says.

"I wasn't asking," he growls and Marinette sighs.

Of course not.

She walks up to where he's standing.

"This is gonna be fun," he says dramatically.

Marinette couldn't agree more.

Xxxxxxxxx

The moment Adrien realized that Gabriel was Hawkmoth, before the world even knew he forged his father's signature and transferred control of the business to Adrien. After it went through Adrien liquidated the company and started his own. He hired some of the more apathetic models and designers from the Gabriel Brand and started his own company.

Adrien hadn't known Marinette for long but he knew her well enough that becoming a designer for a brand or starting her own was her dream. 

Adrien knows a lot about pursuing dreams.

So he sends out information about a design and modeling competition. To showcase minority designers and models. It would serve two purposes. One cement his company as one that was diverse and perhaps draw Marinette out with his miraculous.

He sent out the flyers and information to distributors all over the world. Saying that the first minority showcased would be those of Asian decent. He also made it possible for someone to submit entries on behalf of someone. He may not have had a lot of friends but he knows that before Lila, Alya would have entered Marinette even if she didn't want to enter. 

Why not take advantage of the love his Purrincess inspires in those she meets? Anyone who is her friend would know she loves it design and enter her. He even required each designer to submit a picture of themselves wearing the design. Even if Marinette changed skin tone, hair color, or eye color. There would be one thing she wouldn't be able to hide.

The raised jagged scar his claws left. Make-up wouldn't cover the raised edges and hair swept over that particular eye would earn them a meeting with the head of the brand. 

Himself.

Marinette wouldn't be able to control her reaction to seeing him. He'd know the instant she sees him.

He'd get his miraculous back and Marinette would be back where she belongs.

It's purrfect.


	6. Chapter 6

"The game, my dear, is simple. I will ask you 25 questions. You must answer each one correct. Then you will enter our all or nothing round where you may ask me one question if my answer is correct then you lose. If I am wrong then you win," Cluemaster says. Marinette sighs and texts her Uncles behind her back.

"Fine," Marinette says.

"What is your name?"

"Marianne Vanahl."

"How many states are there?"

"Fifty."

"What American Colony mysteriously disappeared?"

"Roanoke."

"The Riddler is married to whom?"

"Oswald Cobblepot. The Penguin."

The questions continue on and on. Marinette getting every single one right and Cluemaster getting more and more frustrated.

"The Penguin employs an assassin named?" He asks as his last question.

"Victor Zsasz," a voice says and they turn to the door where the assassin is standing.

"Zsasz what are you doing here?" Cluemaster seethes.

"Stopping you from pissing off a Rogue. That girl is friends with the son of Mr. Freeze and Lazara. I'm sure you don't want to mess with that," Zsasz drawls.

"It's just a bit of fun. A little warm up after being in Arkham for so long," he says.

"I suggest you move on. I saw Red Robin and Spoiler making their way over here," Zsasz says.

"Dammit! Sorry Marianne. We'll have to have this game another time," Cluemaster says and exits out the backdoor.

Zsasz scans the room and when his eyes brush over Marinette and her friends she blinks twice to show that she's okay and then he leaves.

A couple of minutes later, after rejoining her friends Red Robin and Spoiler come into the shop.

Red Robin scan over each of them and when he locks eyes on their table he blinks a couple of times.

"Hello there Mr. Wayne. Can you tell me what happened?"

Damian quickly explains everything that he happened.

Red Robin then turns his sights on Marinette and she gives them her name and explains what happened.

"Are you all okay?" He asks once the questions are over and when they nod he says, "okay then you guys can leave if you want." 

Damian and Norman stand and Marinette follows them out of the shop. 

"Well that was a disaster," Norman says and they all burst into laughter.

"Do you guys want to give up on a nice day out or try something else?" Damian asks.

"I have to get him unfortunately. My Dad needs help with dinner," Norman says.

"And I have to do my homework. But I did have a nice time Damian," Marinette says with a grin before texting Zsasz that she's ready to be picked up.

"Do you want a ride?" Damian asks looking at Norman.

"I don't want to inconvenience you," Norman says.

"You aren't. The idea of you walking that far makes me uncomfortable," Damian says. 

"That and I insisted on dropping you off," a British voise says and they turn and smile at the tall thin man standing there.

"Good afternoon. My name is Alfred Pennyworth. The Wayne family Butler," he says.

"Hello Mr. Pennyworth," She and Norman say at the same time.

"Alfred, please," he says and Marinette then sees her ride pulling in right behind Alfred and Zsasz gets out of the car in his disguise.

"Ari, is everything okay? I heard that Cluemaster attacked you," he says running over and checking her for injuries.

"Yeah Uncle V. I'm okay. His questions were strangely easy. I wonder if he was taking it easy because I am not American?" She says.

"Who knows who cares. Are you sure you're uninjured? We can drop by a doctor on our way home," Zsasz says playing the part of concerned Uncle well.

"Yes I'm sure. You know France has had a lot worse," She says then watches Zsasz glance behind her.

"Sorry where are my manners. Victor Vanahl," says holding out his hand.

"Norman Fries," Norman says.

"Damian Wayne," Damian says studying the man's face.

"Alfred Pennyworth."

"It's nice to meet you. It's good to know that Ari is making friends," he says.

"Have you lived it Gotham long?"

"All of my life. Her other Uncles as well. This is Ari's first time here however. I was worried she'd have trouble adjusting. I must say it's nice to meet the boy she made a jacket for," he says.

"Master Damian, I must start preparing dinner soon," Alfred says.

"Of course, sorry Alfred. It was nice to meet you Mr. Vanahl," Damian says and the two boys climb into the car and Mari follows Zsasz to theirs. 

"Laying it on a little thick huh?" She asks with a smirk.

"Kid, you've met Ed and Oswald. Which would you have rather had just then?"

"You're right," Mari says. Uncle Oswald would have gone feral and torn Cluemaster apart before clutching her to his chest trying to make sure she's okay. And Ed would have started screaming his head off at Cluemaster before threatening her friends.

Of them Zsasz is the cooler head.

And the one most easily disguised.

Xxxxxxxxx

Damian walks into the Mansion to the sounds of Tim explaining everything that happened.

"Is Miss Vanahl well?" Bruce asks when he goes to his father's office.

"She said she was okay," Damian says.

"Yes, but a person's first Rogue attack, especially when the focus of it can be traumatic. She may not realize that she's not fine," Bruce says.

"I'll text her later today. To make sure she's okay," Damian says.

"Is everything okay Damian? You sound off," Bruce asks abandoning the work on his desk.

"I met one of her Uncles today and I could have sworn I recognized him from somewhere."

"Damian, I think we both know that's not it. Tell me what's wrong."

It's just...when Marianne was facing off against Cluemaster, my heart was pounding so hard it was in my throat. I've only experienced that feeling when you or the neanderthals in the other room are in danger. Sometimes Jon. But never about a classmate."

"Could it be that you care for Marianne. More than just a classmate," Bruce prods gently.

"But then what would I consider her?"

"A friend, possibly a crush," Bruce says and Damian jerks back.

"I do not have a crush on Ari!"

"Oh? So she's Ari now?" Bruce says snidely. 

"Shut up Father. She's just... I'm suspicious of her. There are so many things that don't make sense! That's right! I'm suspicious of her so the feeling in my throat was me wondering what she was about to do to Cluemaster!" Damian says.

"Damian I want you to think about this deeply. This focus on Miss Vanahl did you show interest in her and attribute it to suspicion?" Bruce asks.

"I...I don't know," Damian admits softly.

"That's okay. You're young. You're allowed to not understand what you're feeling. You just never let it hurt others and ask when you need help. Would you like me to have Alfred talk with you? As much as I would like to help with this we both know my grasp of emotions doesn't compare to Alfred's," Bruce says.

"Thank you Father...but I think i would like a chance to sort it out for myself," Damian says.

"Alright. But be careful. You're feelings are not the only ones involved. We don't want Miss Vanahl to be hurt," Bruce says.

"Yes father," Damian says and goes to take Titus on a walk. 

Maybe he'll invite Jon to Gotham for the weekend and he can introduce him to Norman and Ari... Marianne. He might be able to see something Damian can't.


	7. Chapter 7

“Ed give me my umbrella I have a man to kill!” Uncle Oz says and Marinette watches the two men arguing back and forth. She doesn’t know why they’re upset. She’s completely fine. Insulted that the man had taken it easy on her but not harmed. 

“Oswald, you know that we don’t want anyone finding out about her. If you go after him guns blazing there’s going to be questions, research, and gossip. We already know that Fries son was there as well. He’s probably going to handle it. After all his son was held hostage and so was a good friend of his. Fries loves that boy more than he loves anyone including Nora. He'll handle that beige creep," Ed says softly and Oz frowns but nods and they look over at Marinette who is munching on popcorn playing a videogame against Victor.

"Do we know which one of is going to the conference? Victor has that thing for you right before it. He won't make it," Ed says.

"It should be you," Oz says.

"What?"

"You know more about education than Victor and I. You've been to college and all that. You have a better control of your temper when you're not Riddler. Also the way I walk and my nose is too recognizable. So long as you wear the jeans and shirt and tie Ari picked out you won't be recognized. No question marks in sight," Oz says and then tilts his head up to request a kiss.

That's one issue cleared. Except for where the umbrella is.

Ed will take the location to his grave.

Meanwhile in the Batcave

Damian sighs as he pushes away from the computer. His research into Ari had failed to turn up anything but…perhaps he’s not looking at this the right way. Maybe he’s searching the wrong things. 

An attack like that would have been a big story. Especially on such a sweet girl like Ari. The scratch is enough to go on.  
With this new idea he searches up attack, girl, scratch and a couple of other words and he finds a news story in French about a family who had suffered under the once hero Chat Noir. About how he was in love with the design obsessed daughter of two Parisian bakers and had killed them before attempting to force the girl to go with him. It sounds like it would explain a lot about Ari. Why she had not been afraid of the villain in front of her. Why she seemed to have to remind herself to respond to her name. Why she walked around with a vigilance that screamed fear. Why she hadn’t seemed to like talking to the local heroes. But he can’t be sure. It could be an extremely logical coincidence. Even if the names Marinette and Marianne were so similar it hurts Damian’s head to think about it. 

“What are you doing?” Drake asks coming into the Batcave and Damian tenses up.  
"I have to try and figure out what she’s hiding. I don’t have an explanation for what she did in Gym or that alley, but I do have one for at least why she’s here,” Damian says and pulls up the video that he was able to find. If he can get a visual on Marinette, he can at least know who she really is.  
He doesn’t need more than one minute of the video. Within seconds he can recognize her voice and shortly after that recognize her appearance. Sure, it’s changed a bit. Enough to fool someone not looking for the connection but since he is, he sees it right away.  
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng is her real name apparently. The blonde is Chat Noir, one of Paris’ former heroes. He became obsessed with her and decided she would be with him since he couldn’t be with Ladybug, the other hero. He killed her family,” Damian says and started working through the family’s records trying to find something.  
“Little D,” Grayson says, and Damian isn’t even sure when he got there, he had been so caught up explaining what he found, “Victims change their names all the time. It’s probably to keep herself safe from Chat Noir.”  
“Then please explain why there is no records of any uncles living in Gotham. As far as I can tell, she has no family in Gotham, at all,” Damian says crossing his arms over his chest. Truth be told, he doesn’t care about the fake name. He understands why she did it.  
But a fake family makes him suspicious. She could have just enrolled in a GED program and never have to step foot in the school again. 

“Witness protection? If they ever manage to arrest Chat, they’ll need her testimony and he has superpowers. He could hurt her and there would never be a body,” Todd says. 

“Who in their right mind would take someone to Gotham for witness protection? If the original criminals didn’t kill them ours would,” Damian says.  
“I think the answer is staring you all right in the face as it were,” Alfred says coming in with Bruce.  
“what do you mean?” Dick asks, when did he get so close? Damian shakes his head he must be slipping. There’s no other explanation. It needs to stop he needs his skills to be sharp so he can keep an eye on Ari. 

To make sure she’s not dangerous! Not that he cares about her safety.  
“Not one of the three of you share blood. Yet you are brother’s and Master Bruce is your father. One does not need to be family on paper or in blood to be real. We heard that you discovered that Miss Marianne left France because she was attacked? Perhaps when she ran here she found the people she now calls Uncles,” Alfred says.

“That’s true, and you know the Rogues all consider each other’s kids family as well. Gotham isn’t known for conventional families. Oh I know. Little D you’re too close to the situation. If you really are suspicious invite her to dinner tomorrow. Her Uncles have to be there for the conferences. We’ll have them all over here and we can observe them. See what we can figure out and you’ll see she’s just an ordinary girl trying to survive a situation she shouldn’t have been involved in to begin with. Why didn’t the JL know about Paris having heroes? Why did Paris need heroes to begin with?” Dick says.

“I’ll compile the data while Demon Spawn is at school. Any gaps we can try to get Marine…Ari to fill in,” Drake says.  
“If this is all settled we’ll run a patrol and see if we can spot anything. I also want facial recognition scanning on this Chat Noir’s face. Even if Miss Dupain-Cheng turns out to be evil what this supposed hero did was malicious and cruel and we will see him behind bars. If not for any other sake than she deserves it for beating Damian in dodgeball,” Bruce says with a slight smirk. Damian blinks a couple of times. Those therapy sessions Alfred forced them to get after the last death and revival must really be working.  
Damian and the others get ready for their patrol and Damien plans out how to ask Ari to dinner. And how to warn her about his family’s…complete inability to behave civilly at any gathering, even training.  
They’re all in for a bit of trouble.

Meanwhile in Paris

Adrien flips through the profile of yet another entry for the fashion show. Normally he would be excited. Waiting to see what new marvel he would come across. The main issue being that none of them are Marinette. The hair doesn’t show blue enough, the pigtails are too long. There’s no spark in the eyes.

There’s no scar.

He’s been monitoring social media. Not all the time but enough to know if anyone mentions a girl with a scratch mark on her face.

Adrien sighs. He wishes she hadn’t made him have to do that. Marinette was a pretty girl. Shy, but beautiful. And her outfits were always amazing. But never mind that, he needs to find her before he has to start training the models for the runway while his head designer would work the designers through the theme.

Adrien needs to find Marinette. All he has to do is find her once. One single time and get them together on a camera for TV or in magazine photos. Because Marinette knows how to use her anonymity to her advantage. If he can get the eyes of the world in her she's never be able to hide again.

He just needs to find her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I know it's been a long time since I uploaded but real life hit me hard. Like Marinette in all those salt stories my friends stopped hanging out with me. Said some stuff. Betrayed me. Etc so putting myself back in this fandom was a bit hard for me. But now I have friends and I wanted to start writing this stuff again.


	8. Chapter 8

"I hate parent conference night. My dad always comes and there's always a scene. At least one teacher has probably failed me because I'm a VK," Norman says banging his head on the desk.

"It's probably going to be history. She seems to have it out for you and Ari," Damian says. He'd noticed that the teacher in question was a much stricter grader with the two of them compared to him. He has Drake looking into options.

"Is the uncle from yesterday going to come?" Norman asks.

"No. Today will be different Uncle... There he is!" She says and Damian watches her rush over to hug a man with curly reddish orange hair.

"Uncle E, this is Norman Fries and Damian Wayne," Ari says and Damian exams him.

"My father wanted me to extend an invitation to you for dinner tonight Mr. Vanahl," Damian says.

"Call me Edwin kid, I'll text Ari's other uncles and see what the two of them say," the man says and Damian feels he's familiar but before he can place him he turns and sees Bruce Wayne making his way down the corridor.

"Damian. If I go into these classrooms are they going to tell me that you need to be more social and tolerant?" He asks.

"Probably," Damian says with a shrug. Bruce seems to point his eyes upwards as if asking for a miracle before turning to Ari and Norman.

"You must be Damian's friends Marianne and Norman. It is a pleasure to meet you," he says and Damian covers his face.

"Mr. Wayne," they both say and look away to clunky steps coming into the room.

"Dad!" Norman says and Marinette watches Damian's dad for a reaction. He doesn't give one.

"Uh...Mr. Fries if you would," the poor teacher's assistant says and the man walks into the room with his son.

"Mr. Vanahl, I trust Damian invited you to dinner tonight? I will host it at the manor tonight," Wayne says.

"We would like that however my husband has trouble with stairs and uneven ground. Will this be an issue he will encounter?"

"No. Two steps at the front of the house. One of my daughters uses a wheelchair so we've made the place more accessible," He says.

"Ari, I'm going to call V and O. They aren't responding to my texts. You stay here with Mr. Wayne," Ed says and he steps out into the hall.

"You have three uncles?" Damian asks.

"Yes. Uncle Edwin, Uncle Victor, who you met outside the ice cream shop, and Uncle Oscar. Uncle E and O are married and I think they are in the process of trying to intergrate Uncle V into a poly relationship," she says with a shrug.

Soon Norman and his dad are exiting the classroom. Fries looking angry and Norman looking resigned.

"Miss Baskins again?" Ari asks.

"Yep. She went on and on about how my test grades are too good and that my dad should keep an eye out for evidence of cheating. While simultaneously implying that he might be helping me cheat," Norman says.

"That B..." She starts to say.

"Ari!" A new voice scolds and they turn to see a man with a cane walking in. A thick blonde beard talking up most of this face. Behind him is the uncle Damian met after ice cream and Edwin.

"Sorry Uncle Oscar! It's just that she's unnecessarily cruel to the kids of rogues for no reason. She failed a girl simply because her mom was Poison Ivy! She encourages students to pick on them and I will not stand for it!" She says and turns back to the door only to be caught around the waist by Norman who pulls her back.

"Whoa, stand down Ari. I'm being transferred out. The vice principal heard her and decided not to put any vks in there anymore," Norman says.

"Shhhh...Disney will sue," Marinette says.

"Please I was here long before Mal, Carlos, Jay, and Evie were an idea," he says.

"Anyway, I'm Oscar. Ari's other uncle. You already met Edwin and this is Victor. We be honored to have dinner with your family.

"Marianne Vanahl?" The TA calls.

"Who's going in with her?" Edwin asks.

"Me. I think I'd like to meet this Miss Baskins," Oscar says and the two of them walk into the room.

"They can hear soft voices at first slowly getting louder.

"YOU DARE!" They hear and lean close to listen in.

"I am sorry but your Niece does not pay attention in class. She does the work necessary to pass but no more than that," they hear the woman say.

"Ari is this true?" 

"Yes because I don't really care about History," she says and the men and boys listening tense for the explosion.

"See! I can't pass someone who doesn't care about the class!"

"Why?" Is Oscar's response.

"Why what?"

"Why should she care about History?" 

"Because she'll need to study it!"

"Why? Ari, what do you want to do when you grow up?"

O"Fashion design," Marinette says.

"Don't need to know history for that," they hear Oscar say.

"She needs to know history!"  
.  
"You just said she does enough to get decent grades, that you refuse to give. Why should she pay attention to your class when she gets decent grades and should focus on the classes that impact her future career!"

"I... I...wait where are you going? We're not finished here!"

"Yes we are. Good day Madam. I will be removing Ari from your class," Oscar says and the door opens and everyone pretends to not have been listening.

"No I see where Ari gets her temper," Norman says and Oscar barks out a laugh.

"Actually. Love is stronger than blood in this case. We have no blood relationship to get. We were just close friends of the family," he says hugging the girl.

"Allow me to have my own meeting with this Miss Baskins and then I will meet with you to go to the manor for dinner. Mr. Fries older and younger would you like to attend?"

"Thank you but we have a dinner planned with my mom. It would have been her birthday," Norman says and Marinette hugs him tightly.

Bruce spends an uneventful ten minutes in the room listening to the teacher praise and compliment Damian but that he should pick his connections more wisely and he leaves. 

Damian also won't be returning to that class.

"So, is everyone ready for dinner?" He says and the Vanahl's nod and follow him to the car.

The two vigilantes pretend not to notice how tense the family is and how they shoot Damian with suspicious glances whenever Ari is not looking.


End file.
